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W. 'Hy SAWYER. Telephore Switch. No. 242,698Y Patentedlune 7,1881.

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CIDDDD UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SAVYEP, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOEUGEE F. PHILLIPS, OF SAME-PLAGE.

TELEPHONE-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,698, dated June 7,1881.

' Application med February c, Issi. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknowu thatI, WILLIAM H.` SAWYER, a. citizen ofthe United States,residin gat Providence, in the county ofProvidence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTelephone-Switches; and I do hereby decla-re the following to be a full,clear, and exact description'of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompan ying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to a switch-board or switching apparatus of thegroup and table plan,for use in the central office of atelephoneexchangesystem to connect the different subscribers circuits for the purpose oforal communication. Its objectis to provide simple and ready means formaking the necessary connections for communication between thesubscribers of the different circuits grouped or arranged on any onetable with others of the same group, or with` those of any other groupor table ofthe exchange system, and to eii'ect such connections withoutthe use of the .ordinary removable exible cords, which have proven to beextremely inconvenient and embarrassing in the manipulation of theswitch systems now in use.

In my switching apparatus I use any number of switch boards ortables,each comprising any convenient number of sections, each of whichincludes a circuit terminal annunciator and devices for signaling andconnecting the circuit with the operators telephone and other points ofthe system. I preferably ar,- range fifty sections upon a single boardor table, that having been found by experience to be a convenientnumber, and all the devices requirin gto be manipulated in connectionwith any particular line are arranged, in the same section and adjacentto each other, so that the hand of Ithe 'operator readily passes fromone to another without the trouble of selecting them separately fromAgroups or series of devices of a similar nature, as is the case, moreor less, in theV telephone-switch systems heretofore invented.

connection with the accompanying drawings,v

in Which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a switchboardconstructedaccording to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a single section. Fig. 3 is a view ofthe board behind said section. Fig. 4 is a section on line w or, Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is a front view of a board with twelve sections. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the switch for connecting tables. Fig. 7 is a view,in front elevation, of -two tables, each having only ninesections, thetables being shown of this small capacity to avoid confusion in showingthe various connections. Fig.Sillnstrates` a modified form oftable-connecting,switch. Fig. 9 is a view of one of the plugs.

The letter A, referring now particularly to Fig. 2, indicates thesupporting-board, and B the` amninciator-drop, which is shown in itsupright position. This drop is thrown down to expose its opposite side,which is inscribed with the number of the line or circuit by theoperation of the armature O of an electromagnet, C', arranged in anaperture in the board, and having its core behind the armature, asindicated in dotted lines. The linewireis normally connected to the.ground through the helix lof the magnet,as will presently be described.y

The letter D designates afstrip of metal secured to the face oftheboard, and upon each.

side of said strip, and separated therefrom and from each other, are vesmallfmc'tal plates, E E2 E3 E4 E5 and F F? F3 F4 F5. At the upper andlower ends of the strip are similarsrnall plates, (lettered Gand H,respectively,) and between eachsmall plate and the `strip D there isformed a socket, to permit the insertion of a wedge-like spring-plug,such as shown in Fig. 9, such plugs being used to connect the smallplates and the strip D electrically, in the ordinary manner. e

To the front face of the plate G is pivoted one end of an elasticmetallic arm, l, the other end of which extends behind thelaterallyprojecting portion of a metallic bracket, K, which is securedto the board A, thearm being so arranged that its tip normally bearsoutward 10o against vsaid bracket, but by pressing upon a knob, i, maybe forced inwardly in contact with Y a metal plate, L, secured to theboard behind the latcrally-projectin g portion of the bracket. The arm Imay be swung laterally on its pivot to bring its tip in front of eitherof two metal plates, M or N, both of which are secured to the board andrespectively on opposite sides of the normal position of the arm.

The letter O designates a push-button, the shank of which, as shown inFig. 4, extends loosely through a hole in the board and terminates onthe rear side thereof in a button, o, of some nou-conducting substance,such as hard rubber. Against the rear surface of Vthis button o lie theseparated tips of two ilat metal springs, P P', (shown in dotted linesin Fig. 2 and full lines in Figs. 3 and 4,) the other ends of which aresecured to the back of the board.

Directlyin rear of the free tips ofthe springs PP', and separated alittle distance therefrom, stand the free ends of two other iiat metalsprings, Q and Q', the opposite ends of which are secured to the board,and intermediate portions of which rest upon vmetal plates 1t R', whichare connected by a wire, r.

The electric circuit, in the normal condition of the apparatus, isestablished from the linewire (numbered 10) to spring Q, over saidspring, plate R, wire i', plate It', spring Q', a wire, 15, (indicatedby dotted line,) plate H, a plug, S, strip D, a plug, S', plate G, armI, bracket, a wire, 20, (shown by a dotted line as leading from the saidbracket to the magnethelix,) over said helix and a wire, 25, to theground. A

The springs P and P' are respectively connected, by wires'p and p', withmetal strips t and t', secured to the board, and respectively connectedwith the opposite connecting-posts of' a receiving-telephonmT, and alsowith the opposite connecting-posts of a transmitter arranged behind theboard, and havingits mouthpiece T' projecting in front. Ihe springs Pand P' may be connected with the receiving and transmittingtelephones-in 'any other convenient manner.

The plate L is connected, bya wire, 30, with a magneto-electricgenerator, and the plates M and N may be connected respectively withtheV opposite poles of a battery, the middle of which is connected withthe ground in the usual manner of alternating batteries.

I have not described the annunciator in dctail, as any convenient formmay be used. 'Ihe sections, of which, as before stated, I prefer toarrange fifty on one board, are precisely alike, the small plates E' areconnected by suitable wires to the corresponding plates E' of all theother sections, the plates E2 to thev plates E2 of all other sections,and so on for the plates on both sides of the strip D, but not those atthe ends.

The operation of the apparatus as thus far described is as follows: Whena subscriber at a station connected with the line desires to communicatewith another, he closes his battery-circuit or operates amagneto-electric call apparatus, as the case may be, and sends a currentover the line,which causes the annunciator-drop to fall; observingwhich,the operator immediately presses upon the knob i and brings thetip of lever I in contact with plate L, thus-switching the circuit tothe magnetoelectric generator, which is in the lneautime operated by theoperator by means of a treadle, as usual. A current is thus sent overthe line to rin g the subscribers bell and notify him that his call hasbeen received. The operator then re-' moves his finger from the knob z'and places it upon the push-button o,forcing said button inward, andcausing the button o to press the springs P and P' into contact with thesprings Q and Q' and the latter out of' contact with the plates It andIt', thusloopinginto the circuit the wires p p' and the receiver T,which the operator then places tohis ear and hears the subscribersdirections as to whom he desires to talk to. Suppose this to be thesubscriber on line No. 50. The operator now removes the plug S' frombetween strip D and plate G and places it between said strip and plateE',thus connecting the lille No. l with said plate E'. He now calls thesubscriber ou line 50 by pressing upon button i of section 50,connecting the line with the magneto-electric generator, and sendingover it a current which rings the bell of the subscriber wantedlSubscriber 50 answers by sending a current which operates hisannunciator, when the drop of which falls, the operator removes the plugS' of section 50, places it between the small plate E' and strap D ofthat section. As the plates E' of' all the sections are connected, thisconnects line 50 with line 1, and the connections are as follows, viz:from line-wire of' No. 1 over spring Q, plate R, wire r, plate It',spring Q', wire 15,

vplate H, plug S, strip D, plug S', (which is now between strip D andplate E',) plate E', over thewires which connect all the plates E' toplate E' of section 50, then at said section over the plug S' betweensaid plateaud adjacent strip D, over said strip, plug S, plate H, wire15, spring Q, plate It', wire r, plate It, spring Q, to line-wire of No.50.` Being thus connected, the subscribers are left to converse, and bycutting in his transmitter and receiver, as before explained, theoperator may either listen to or speak to them to ascertain when theyhave finished. A signal-bell may, however, be connected with each line,by means of which the subscribers may signify their discontinuance ofconversation; or the annunciators might be placed in circuit betweensprings Q and plates H, and used to notify the operator both of a desireto communicate and of finishing. In Fig. 5, sections Nos. 1 and 12 areconnected as described above for sections 1 and 50.

If while subscribersV on line-s Nos. l and 50 are conversing subscriberson any other two lines desire to communicate, the operation of IOO IIO

connectinglwill be the same as described forl and 50, exceptthat,vas\the plates E andtheir connecting-wires are alreadyin use,theplugs between ten different subscribers at the samel time.` Thisnumber of simultaneous connections has generally been fund sufficient;but` n is obvious um the plates t" `r2 Fare F5 might be used for thesame, though intended i for another purpose, to be presently explained;

or the strips I) might be extended and more small plates placed intherows; or parallel stripsp electrically connected, and additional lactnate either bell.

rows ofA small plates `might be used.

In case there are two subscribers on the same line, one may beisuppliedby a bell-call op-y erated `by aI current otl a given polarity, and theotherwith a bell operated by a current of oppositepolarity.

Ihe plates M and N being connected to opposite poles of a battery, themiddle of which is connected to the ground, the arm I may be placed incontact with either of said plates to cause a proper current to iiowover the line to It more than two subscribers are on the same line,different numbers ot' impulses maybe sent to ring different bells. Bothmagnetolines7 and battery-lines, as they are technically termed, may begrouped together on my switch-board.

I will now proceed to describe the devices by means of which sections of one group or board maybe connected with others of another group orboard.

All the small plates F of the several sections are connected together bysuitable wires, and the plate F of the last section is connected,

bv a wire, seeFiO. 5 with a metal stud upon which is pivoted a metalarm, U', (see,-V also, Fig. 6,) on the board below thesections,

said arm beingarrangeil to swing round a circle and secured toits pivotwith sufcienti'ric- The i'rce end of the lever is bent outward and hasin it a transverse slot, through which plays a sliding metal plate, u,to the inner end of which is connected a rod, `a', which plays through aholeina lug, a2, projecting from alan U. Surrounding. this rod is aspiral spring, which bears against the lug u2 and the inner end of plateu, forcing its outer end or tip normally outward beyond the end of thearm U. A suitable knob is secured `to plate u, `for convenience insliding said plate inward when desired. In thepath described by theprojected tip otl the plate uuwhen it is swung around on its pivot,there are secured' to the board tive (in the present instance)`smallinetal plates, (marked, respectively, 1 2 3 4 5,) and the tip Yot'the plate u may be brought in contact with any one of said plates; or,by sliding the plate inward, the armmay swing around and theslid-` ingplate avoid contact with all. There are ve such arms,U,U2,U3,U4,and U5,mounted upon the board, and provided with sliding` plates arranged toycome in contact with small stationary plates, as just described. Eacharm audits sliding plate and contact-.points constituteatable-connecting switch, and these switches are, for convenience,designated as switch No. 1, switch No. 2, and so on.

The plates F2 ot' the sections are connected to arm` U2 by a wire, f2,plates F3 to arm U3 by a wire, f3, and so the other sets otsimilarly-lettered plates are connected to the other switch-arms.

Theplates F F2 F3 F4 F5, I term the table connecting plates,77 for areason which will presently appear, and a set consists of those whichare connected.

Now, let us suppose there are five switch boards or tables in anexchange central office, and all alike, except that the sections ot'board No. l are numbered from l to 50, those of board No. 2 from 51 toy100, and so on by fifties. rIhe switch contactpoints or plates l ofswitches No. l ot' all the tables are connected by suitable wires, andso the other similarlynumbered plates of similarly-numbered switches areconnected. vThe tables are numbered from l to 5. Should a subscriber online No.1, which'is connected with the tableNo. l, desire to communicatewith a subscriber on line No. 5], which is connected with table No. 2,he so notities the central office, and the operator at table No. lproceeds precisely as described for "connecting two lines at the sametable up to switch No. 1, so that the sliding plate of said arm willcomcin contact with contact-plate 1 of that switch. He then notiiies theoperator at table No. 2 to connect his line No. 51 with t,

point 1 ot' his switch No. 1. The operator at table No.2 then notitiessubscriber on line 51,

and proceeds to make the desired connection in the same manner aspursued b y operator at table No. 1. As the points l ot' all theswitches No. 1 are connected as before stated, thetwo lilies are now incommunication, and the circuit is as follows, referring vto Fig. 7, andregarding section 13 of table No. 2 in lieu ot' section 51, the table inthis gure being made with a small number of sections to avoidcou fusionin the representation of the connections, and only such plate connectingwires are shown as are in use: from line-wire No. l, by the same routeas heretofore described, to plug S', thence over plates F and their connecting-wires, and over wire j" to the pivot ot switch-lever U', oversaid lever,`its sliding plate, contactplate l, and wire t to plate 1.

ot switch No. l ot' table No. 2, and from this IOO ISO

In notifying operators to-make connections between tables the cardsystem is preferable. In the present case operator No. 1 would send bythe oflice-boy to operator No. 2 a card marked .5l-1 1, signifyingconnect section 51 with point 1 ot' switch l. If while the twosubscribers are conversing another on a line connected with table No. 1desires to communicate with a subscriber whose line connects with someother table, the connections are made in precisely the same way, exceptthat the operator now uses the point No. l of another switch, (any onewill answer,) and directs the operator at the other board to connectwith point No. 1 of a correspondinglynumbered switch. The sliding platesu are to permit the switch-arms to be shortened while being moved, so asto avoid possible interference with connections by making contactvwithany except the desired plate. The plates or points l are solely formaking connection from table No. 1, and are to be used only by theoperator at that table and those whom he may direct to use them formaking connection with his table. So all the points are for connectionswith correspondin gl y-numbered tables.

l tis obvious that each table may be supplied with as many switches asdesired, the number corresponding, of course, with the number of sets oftable-connecting plates. When additional tables are added to theexchange additional points may be added to the switches. It there shouldbe fifty tables, each with five switches, then each might be arranged toconnect with five lines of every or any other or with tive lines of anyiive ofthe fty.

Each switchmight have two or more switcharms, it desired, their pivotedends being electrically connected to a common support, and

then either could be used for a given number of points comprised in agiven arc of its movement. Thus the extent of movement required could bereduced.

It has been found that ve connections with other tables are all that arenecessary in practice. This would require five switches. However, aseach switch could, if desired, contain one hundred points or plates,these five connections could be made with any iive of one hundred tablesor with any particular table of the one hundred 5 or an extension orwing, either at the side or lower edge, could be added to the table, andan additional series of iive switches, each of one hundred points,arranged upon said extension or wing, each additional switch having itsarm' connected electrically with one of the first series, thus formingin eft'ect'a double switch of two hundred points, so that fiveconnections could be made with two hundred tables. It is obvious that inthe same manner the' switches might be trebled or extended in capacity,as desired, without other change in-the tables than adding one or moreboards to afford room when necessary.

The object of plate H at the foot of strip D and plug S is this lf theoperator at a table (say No. 1) desire to make connection with asubscribers line at another table, (say No. 2,) and the operator at thelatter table is busy or absent, then (providinghe has left, as he shouldhave done, his switch-lever at switch 1 in contact with point 1, leverat switch 2 on point 2, and so on)operator at tableNo. 1can,by removingplug S and placing it between strip D and plate E', throw oft' line No.1 and connect line 51 with lever I at section N o. 1 of table No. 1, andhe can then himself, by pressing this lever on plate L, send a currentfrom the magnetoelectric generator to call up subscriber on line No. 51.

ln Fig. 8 I have illustrated-a modified form of table-connecting switchwhich may be substituted t'or that before described.

The letters W W2 W3 W4 W5 indicate metallic strips xed to the board totake the places ot' the levers, and X X2 X3 X4 X5 are contactplatesarranged alongside of but separated from the strips, and are to beconnected respectively with corresponding plates on the other tables.Plugs like that shown in Fig. 9 are used to connect the strips andcontact-plates. The strips are to be respectively connected with thedifferent sets ot' table-connecting plates of the sections, as are thelevers before described, and in practice the plates should be numberedas are the plates in the other form ot' switch.

In using this switch, instead of swinging a lever, a plug is simplyinserted to connect the strip and desired plate.

I do not confine myself to any particular number ot' sets ot' sectionconnecting plates, table connecting plates, or tableconnecting switches,as it is obvious that the numbers may be varied without invention 5 nordoI limit myself to any particular manner or devices for connecting thereceiver and transmitter with the subscribers lines, as any of the knownmodes may be used. I may also use any known a-nd suitable form-ofannunciator.

1 do not claim as my invention the division and arrangement ot'subscribers lines upon separate desks orswitch-boards, each providedwith complete apparatus for connecting the lines and serving subscriberswhose lines may be grouped together, combined with open connecting-wiresto be used in case it should become necessary to connect linesterminating at different switch-boards, as such a system has been usedby others prior to my improvement.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, in a switch board or table, of aseries of sections, substantially as described, each section consistingot an annunciator connected in a subscriber-s circuit having aground-connection, a series ot' metal contact-plates arranged adjacentto and for plugconnection with a common conductor included in saidcircuit, each contact-plate of each section being permanently inelectrical connection with a serially-corresponding plate in every othersection, and means for placing a tele- IOO IIO

phonic receiver in the circuit, and for disconnecting the circuit fromits ground-connection, whereby a call may be received, the subscriberswants ascertained, and any two circuits disconnected from ground andconnected together by means of simple plugs, and without the. use ofdetachable portable connecting devices.

2. In a telephonie-exchange switch system, the combination of two ormore switch boards or tables, each provided with a series of sections,substantially as` described, each section consisting of an annunciatorconnected in a subscribers circuit having a groundconnec tion, a seriesotl metal contact-plates arranged adjacent to and for plug-connectionwith a common conductor included in said circuit, each contact-plate ot'each section being permanently in electrical connection with aserially-corresponding plate of every other section, and with a switcharranged to connect a set ,of such connected lplates with a similarswitch and set of contact-platesnpon another board or table, or any oneof several other boards or tables, and means for breaking the circuitground-connections, whereby any subscribers circuit terminating at anytable may be readily disconnected from the ground and connected with anycircuit terminating at any other switch board or table in the exchange.

3. In a telephone switch-board, a series ot' terminal sections, eachcomprising an annunciator connected with a subscribers line and cut thetelephone into the line-circuit, a switch arranged to disconnect thelinefrom the ground and connect it `with an electrical generator, and

. a series of contact-plates arranged adjacent to and forplug-connection with a common conductor included in the line-circuit,each of said plates being permanently in electrical connection with aseriallyfcorrespondin g plate in every other section, whereby arearranged in compact form for convenient and rapid manipulation all thedevices essential to receiving calls, ascertaining subscribers7 wants,disconnecting line-circuits from the ground and connecting themtogether.

4. Ihe combination, with each of a series of switch boards or tables,each provided with line terminal sections and permanently-connected setsofcontact-plates, substantially as described, of a series of switchesrespectively connected with said sets of contact-plates and havingcontact-points, each of which is connected with a correspondingcontact-point of a corresponding switch upon one or more other switchboards or tables.

5. The switch composed of a pivoted metallic switch-arm, provided with acontractile eX- tension plate or piece, and a series of metalcontact-points arranged in the path traversed by said extension plate orpiece, when the same is extended only, substantially as described,whereby said switch-arm may be readily moved to any contact-pointwithout touching others in intermediate parts of its movement.

6. The switch composed of the pivoted metallic arm, the guided slidingmetallic plate forced outward by a spring, and the metalcontact-pointsarranged in the path of said plate, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofl I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. SAWYER.

Witnesses:

GILMAN E. JoPP, THos. A. MILLETT.

